A PROGRAMME to rally wildlife lovers to help tackle the crisis facing nature has received overwhelming support, with people taking over one million steps in just six months.

The RSPB’s Stepping up for Nature movement is one of the most ambitious nature conservation charity efforts in the world and one step has been taken every 18 seconds since it started in March.

The RSPB launched Stepping Up for Nature to help tackle the catastrophic declines in bird species and other wildlife and the damage and destruction of their habitats.

Included in the million steps that have already been taken are feeding garden birds, putting up nest boxes, volunteering on a reserve, donating money to save rockhopper penguins affected by an oil spill in Tristan da Cunha and e-mailing the Government in response to its proposals to change England’s planning system. More than 2,000 people signed the RSPB marine pledge at RSPB reserves and events in the North West and many more have done so online.

Seventy volunteers signed up to support the campaign against the environmentally-damaging plans to build a tidal energy barrage across the Mersey. The group was inundated with letters from people looking to raise awareness.

RSPB Campaign Manager Andre Farrar said: “It may sound like a daunting task to save nature from the crisis it’s facing, but if everyone gets stuck in there is a good chance that we can safeguard a countryside rich in wildlife for future generations.

“There are so many species teetering on the brink of disappearance and many of them are in our own backyards.

“For the future of much of our natural world it’s ‘kitchen sink time’ and we need to throw everything at it. Government, organisations like the RSPB, wider society and individuals all need to make a difference.”

Steven Roddy, joint manager of the campaign, added: “We knew we needed to do something drastic to help the situation facing the natural world and Stepping Up For Nature is a massive effort to rally our supporters and give nature its best chance of survival.”